The 2008 French film Entre les Murs (The Class) presents a year in the life of a French language and literature class in an inner city middle school in Paris. The film, winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, is based on the 2006 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by François Bégaudeau. It stars Bégaudeau along with a cast of non-actors using improvisational acting and documentary-style filmmaking. The entire film takes place at the school—in its classrooms, teachers lounge, library, and schoolyard—giving the view a fly-on-the-wall view into the social and interpersonal dynamics among students and teachers. Bégaudeau, as the teacher François Marin, attempts to understand and engage his culturally and cognitively diverse students, and his students respond in a variety of inspiring, provocative, and antagonistic ways.

Following the screening, CFT assistant director Derek Bruff will lead a discussion of the film, focusing on questions raised by the teacher’s instructional choices and his students’ responses to those choices. For example, how can you motivate students in a required course on a subject (grammar in this case) the students see as irrelevant to their lives? How can you navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with teaching a class of culturally diverse students? How can you respond to moments of conflict and confrontation in the classroom? And how can attempts to connect with students as people, not just pupils, become problematic?

Faculty, students, and staff interested in teaching and classroom dynamics (in secondary or post-secondary settings) are encouraged to attend and join the discussion. There is no registration for this event.